Over the years we’ve had the good fortunate of speaking with thousands of successful entrepreneurs, artists and creatives. Some are happy, some are not. The happy ones almost always had a strong sense of purpose and so we are very focused on trying to help our community members and audience find their purpose. This series is our attempt to create more dialogue around finding your purpose.

CK Jones

I found my purpose through a gift I was born with, passed on to me by a beautiful marriage of creativity from both sides of my family, but particularly from the musicianship passed on by my Abuelito, of which he passed on to many other tias, tios, and primos of mine. The musical Torres genes run strong. Read More>>

Sunny Loudin

It was through great pain and emotional trauma, battling what was said to be terminal cancer, and being discarded by an abusive, narcissistic, cruel human being at the same time, that when I lived through it, I decided to write my pain into thought-provoking, raw words, with melodic structure that I was not emulating or worrying about what anyone would think. Read More>>

Rachel Goodale

After leaving a career in education, I obtained my certification as a personal trainer. In 2015, after 2 years of teaching group fitness classes, I finally got pregnant with my first. Continuing my education in prenatal and postpartum fitness allowed me to safely continue working out and teaching fitness while I was pregnant as well as safely return to exercising postpartum. It was a coincidence that one day I was wearing my son in baby carrier to try top calm down his fussy behavior, that I began working out while wearing him. This is where I found my purpose. Read More>>

Tammy Daly

Recently, I was reminiscing about Nature’s Apothecary’s roots. The seeds were planted 30 years ago for it in North Carolina where I grew up.
It started when I was 17 visiting a friend, his mom started talking about herbs and showing me the ones she had growing. From then on I wanted to learn as much as I could about them. It must be my calling as I’m still as interested by them now as I was then. Read More>>

Alyssa Zander

A few years ago, I was driving to work—at the time, I was a teacher—and I remember saying out loud, “I’m ready to align with my soul’s purpose. I’m ready for my life’s work.” I didn’t know what it would look like, but I felt the ache of it… the knowing that I was meant for something more than the burnout loop I was in. Read More>>

Rebecca Marchiafava

My professional background is varied: I’m now a workplace culture consultant, but I’ve been a 5th grade teacher, worked in school operations and education policy, and spent ten years working for a nonprofit sexual assault center.

Underlying all of my different jobs, I’ve always found myself drawn to learning, problem-solving, addressing conflict and supporting growth. These are things that come naturally to me. Is something not working? Let’s talk about it and address it. Are there tensions in the workplace? Let’s surface and work through them. Are we struggling to achieve goals? Let’s explore and overcome barriers to get where we want to be. Read More>>

Delisa Harris

From a young age, I was deeply fascinated by the beauty industry—especially natural hair care. I would spend hours on YouTube watching Black women teach and celebrate the versatility of our hair. At 16, I made a bold decision to do the “big chop,” cutting my hair down to just two inches. I was nervous about embracing my natural texture, but after getting it braided by African stylists, I fell in love with the artistry of braiding. That moment sparked something in me. I believe God gave me a gift—not just to style hair, but to educate, empower, and uplift others through it. That’s when I knew this was more than a passion—it was my purpose. Read More>>

Venkata Sudheer Menta

Our 9-year-old son has a major sweet tooth and absolutely loves desserts. During the Covid lockdown, my wife baked a few cupcakes for him—and they were an instant hit! I started helping her with frosting and decorations, and together we began sharing our creations with friends. The response was overwhelmingly positive, which motivated us to keep baking. What started as a fun family activity soon turned into a small home baking business. Read More>>

Dorothy “Dot” Alford

I discovered my purpose through a lifelong love of nature, nurtured from an early age by my father, Rolando Enad. He taught me to slow down, observe, and appreciate the quiet beauty in the world around us. Over time, this deep connection with nature naturally evolved into a passion for photography—a medium that allows me to preserve and share the fleeting moments of peace, wonder, and resilience I find in the natural world. Read More>>

Brooke Harris

The journey to discovering my true purpose has been nothing short of an evolution.
I began my path as an entrepreneur, launching cold-pressed juice and alternative-mylk businesses, believing that creating best-in-class, planet-friendly products was my calling. And while that work was meaningful, it turned out to be just the beginning—a stepping stone toward something much deeper. Read More>>

Jon Schooler

I was sitting on the beach in Pantillon Oaxaca after I received a really high number in the lottery for the Vietnam war.
I remember thinking , now that I don´t have to fight in Vietnam I should do something with my life so that I won´t have any regrets; so I decided to become an artist to give back to the universe for the gift of being as I pass through the garden Read More>>

Marc Coronel

I didn’t find my purpose in a moment of peace, it found me in the middle of a crisis.

Years ago, I was a Health & Wellness trainer for film sets in Hollywood. I had a full life, working with Hollywood Execs, actors and crew members to keep them healthy and focused under pressure. It was a dream job, until everything changed. I was diagnosed with a rare kidney diseases: Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Eventually, I ended up on dialysis and then had to fight my way to a kidney transplant. Read More>>

Reema Rachel Khithani

I didn’t find my purpose in a single moment. It revealed itself over years of witnessing what healing was not, before I could name what it truly needed to be.

The seed for The Hira Collective was planted nine years ago, just a week before my grandmother, Popati Hiranandani, passed away. I had just returned from an ashram, having completed my yoga teacher training. I felt hopeful about the possibility of sacred and ethical healing spaces. But that hope existed alongside a deeper ache. I had seen wellness spaces that lacked integrity, where sacred practices were stripped of their roots, diluted, and sold back to communities like mine.  Read More>>

Chrissy Smith

Many people go through life wondering at times if they are living their life with purpose. To me living with purpose means you wake up everyday with excitement in your heart for learning, sharing or experiecing a passion of yours. For many of us this is a hobby, and for others this passion aligns with a successful career.

I used to think I lived my life with purpose as a fitness trainer and gym enthusiast. This former overweight child in the 80s and 90s, who couldn’t feel the beat of the music and got picked on for most of her public education experience, grew into a professional health educator, national fitness competitor, personal trainer, and multi-faceted group fitness instructor. Read More>>

Jen Akob

I have felt from a young age that I was meant to help people. But it was not until about 15 years ago that I would say I found my purpose. My sister-in-law was doing her post-doc in Germany. My family (husband and 2 kids) flew over to visit her family. On the way home we hit terrible turbulence, and I had my first panic attack. I knew it was a panic attack because I am a mental health counselor and worked with people who had them all the time. Read More>>

Natalia Guzma

My patients are the driving force behind everything I do. Their trust and loyalty continually push me to grow as a provider—to keep learning, refining my techniques, and striving for excellence in every treatment. Being entrusted with their faces, their confidence, and their overall skin health is a responsibility I hold with the utmost respect and care. Read More>>

Joelle Whiting

I spent years searching — not just for a career, but for something deeper… a calling. And one day, I realized my purpose wasn’t hiding in some far-off place — it was woven into everything I already loved: connecting with people, creating unforgettable experiences, and helping others feel at home in new spaces. Read More>>

Madelyn Harris

I do what I do because people should feel like the main character on their wedding day. Because everyone deserves to feel beautiful and important. I’m an advocate for everyone, a photographer for everyone.

Photographers forget that we go to tons of weddings but the people we work with only have their one wedding and it is so important to make sure they feel at peace, they feel important and heard and they are able to do whatever they want on their day. Read More>>

Allan Virgo

Growing in Jamaica, where success often wore the uniform of tradition career path—doctor, lawyer, accountant. Naturally, I chose the path of science, pursuing science throughout high school and sixth form (pre-college) and envisioning a future in medicine with precision and purpose. But life, as it often does, had a different story waiting for me. Read More>>

Cynthia Booth

A few years ago, I read Now, Discover Your Strengths by Donald O. Clifton and Marcus Buckingham, and it had a profound impact on me. One of my top strengths was learning — and that resonated deeply. I’ve always had a love for discovering new things, and just as importantly, for helping others learn and grow as well.

The book emphasizes the importance of focusing on what you’re naturally good at and passionate about, rather than trying to improve areas where you lack interest or ability. That idea truly clicked for me. I realized how much I love travel — not just the act of going somewhere new, but the opportunity it gives to learn, to grow, and to share those experiences with others. Read More>>

Haley Everheart

I was raised in Washington, DC, the center of power in the United States, if perhaps not its heart. I grew up in a diverse community with politically engaged parents and an early awareness that the world was deeply unjust. With the confidence of youth, the wiring of neurodivergence, and a deeply Capricorn / Type A / Eldest Daughter get-shit-done energy, I was fired up to change it all.

By college, I had protested wars, interned for senators, worked on presidential campaigns, and traveled to places like Palestine, Rwanda, and the Balkans to witness post-conflict rebuilding. I felt the urgency of everything that needed to be done to make the world a better place. Read More>>

Sandy Pierre

I discovered my purpose through a lot of trial and error. I always knew I had a gift for connecting people, but I didn’t realize it could be the foundation of a career. I worked at plenty of companies outside my ideal field, yet I naturally became the person who connected the dots—whether that meant recommending the perfect host for an event or introducing a brand to a new opportunity, I always had a go-to contact. Read More>>

Liza Sargent

If I had, I’d probably be on a mountain somewhere writing a book about it.

But really… I don’t think I’ve ever found my purpose. I never felt like I set out with a map and flashlight searching for it. It was more like a feeling that was always there, no matter age, city, or the weather. I’ve carried that feeling since I was a kid, but back then I didn’t know what it was called, I just knew that I felt more like myself when I was drawing or creating something. Or maybe the only version of myself that made any sense. Read More>>

Megan Yeagy

I really discovered my purpose through launching two small businesses with my husband, Brian — Grafton Peek Mercantile, a local gift shop in Greenwood, Indiana, and Grafton Peek Social Hall, a boutique event venue just upstairs in the same building. I didn’t grow up in a family of small business owners, but I was fortunate to get a job at Brian’s family’s long-standing business — which is actually how we met. Being part of that multi-generational small business gave me a front-row seat to how much local businesses can impact their communities, and it was incredibly special to become a real part of that legacy. Read More>>

Stephen Gyamfi

When people ask me how I found my purpose, I often smile — because the truth is, I didn’t go out searching for it. Purpose, for me, has never been something I needed to discover in a faraway place or through someone else’s definition. It’s something I was born with. It was built in me through faith, family, and the experiences that shaped me — especially growing up in Ghana. Read More>>

Stanley Evans

I found my purpose through being an artist. Not the making music aspect though more so the inspiration it gives to the people around me. I think my purpose is to spread love & support on this earth and to encourage the ones around me to chase their dreams and do what makes them happy. I feel in love with the kids seeing me as the cool guy and a motivational figure more than the music itself. Im blessed beyond what i feel i deserve sometimes. Read More>>

Chelsea Maloney

Like many people, I did not know what I wanted to be when I was growing up, even after I left school, after university, into my 20s I was just doing things because. I was doing them because I thought they were the right thing to do, I was doing them because others had told me it was what I should do, I was doing things because it was keeping people happy and keeping them off my back from the continuous stream of “what are you doing with your life Chelsea?” Read More>>

Madelyn Roberts

When I was a young teenager I struggled for a long time with acne. For so many years I was in out of different dermatologist offices trying to get help with my painful skin. I remember feeling so defeated when no one could help me and at a certain point I knew my skin would never be the same. Every doctor and beauty ad was pushing perfect skin on a girl who knew that would never be possible because her skin was now covered in scars.  Read More>>

Dr. Kemia

Finding my purpose involved a journey of self-discovery, reflection, and exploration of interests and values. I discovered my purpose through volunteer work, as it allowed me to connect with my community, make a positive impact, and realize the importance of service to others. Read More>>

Quan Lanae Green

I found my purpose by seeking God about who I am and what He wants me to do. Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:8 that if we seek, we will find. I sought the Lord diligently through prayer, fasting, and consecration. As a result, He showed me exactly who I am and what my purpose is. He even revealed to me the purposes of people connected to my ministry. It’s truly a blessing. Read More>>

Danielle Brower

For me, purpose has always been rooted in people. I’ve always been curious about how people connect, how communities work, and how systems around us either support or get in the way of that care. I didn’t always know it was called social work, or systems change, or consulting, but I knew I was drawn to the moments where people chose to show up for one another. Read More>>

Justin & Megan Gross

For both Justin and me, our story really began in childhood. Justin had a natural talent for building—and what he didn’t know, he had the determination and resourcefulness to figure out. Justin’s passion for building was shaped by summers at Door County’s Peninsula State Park and the steady influence of his grandfather, a journeyman carpenter. Surrounded by rustic structures and natural beauty, he developed an early appreciation for craftsmanship and durability.  Read More>>

Sloan Varunok

From the time I was a kid, I always knew I enjoyed entertaining people. Whether it was a funny story, acting, singing, voice impressions, or what have you, I always wanted to bring amusement to any room I was in.

The What: entertaining. Easy. I knew I wanted to do that. Read More>>

Garrett Rawlings

I truly believe that discovering your purpose comes from putting yourself out there and trying new things. That said, I also know for a fact that your purpose can—and often does—find you in ways that feel completely natural. However, without the willingness to explore and lean into those experiences, I don’t think anyone can fully grasp or fulfill their passion and purpose. Read More>>

Alexis Shupe

I believe you find your purpose everyday. Every time you wake up, there is something that is going to occur that day, that is only for you. Whether it is helping someone you have never met, helping a family member, or changing the directory of someone’s life. My purpose is founded more and more by the passing days. I find it everyday. Read More>>

Said Shaiye

By dropping out of college. I started doing poetry open mics at night, but was failing my chemistry type classes in the day. It was the first time I struggled with classes in my life. I couldn’t understand it. My parents wanted me to become a well-paid professional in a white lab coat. All I cared about was writing. It always came easily to me. The more i struggled in life, the more writing helped me make sense of it. It also helped me understand other people, and why I was always misunderstood, no matter what I did. I would later learn I’m Autistic with ADHD & CPTSD.  Read More>>

Kenya Edwards

I found my purpose through a series of divine nudges, life lessons, and moments of resistance. From a young age, I knew I had a gift—when I spoke, people listened. There was weight to my words, a presence I didn’t fully understand. But instead of embracing that gift, I hid it. Fear, anxiety, and the desperate desire to blend in rather than stand out kept me silent. Read More>>

 Denise O’Connor

I have always loved beauty products. I love reading the ingredients, knowing what is in everything, how it works, and why. So when I began to experience adult acne, about 8 years ago, I ran to Sephora and bought all of their best selling acne products. It was not long before I realized that, not only did they not work for me, but some of them made my condition worse. Read More>>

Heather Hays

From a young age I felt like the role in my family was to be the helper and listener, or even at times the caretaker. I think throughout life with friendships I was the one that people turned to when they had problems. This fostered a desire for me to look at working with families and people when going to college.

I pursued my degree in Sociology and Social Services, and after college began doing social work with the HeadStart program. After a few years of that I went back to school to get my Masters in Education in School Counseling. For the last 18 years I have worked serving youth and families and have watched mental health needs rise in our youth. Read More>>

Jerome Bader

From an early age, I was always drawn to the creative arts—whether it was theatre, dance, music, or just finding ways to bring stories to life. Growing up as a gay kid in the ’80s, the arts weren’t just a hobby—they were my safe haven. They gave me space to explore identity, emotion, and expression at a time when I didn’t always feel safe or seen. That world of creativity became my sanctuary, and it sparked something in me that never dimmed. Read More>>

Rob Bach

My dad was a fantastic musician. As a kid, he used to practice piano up to eight hours a day. As a young adult, he plugged away at piano bars while working in the local music store.

When my three siblings and I came along, we followed in his footsteps. Three of us learned to play piano and violin. My younger brother and I sang in choir. My older brother amassed a collection of period-appropriate 1970s record albums that he played endlessly in his room. Read More>>

Shanise Pearce

I found my purpose in the most unexpected and painful chapter of my life — through a breast cancer diagnosis. In October 2023, after years of proactive genetic testing and preventative care, I was told I had Stage 1, Grade 3, Triple Negative Breast Cancer. That moment was life-altering. As a wife, mother, and the anchor of my family, I wasn’t just fighting for myself. I was fighting for every person I loved, especially my children who carry the same gene mutations I do. Read More>>

Daris Gibbons

I would say that my purpose found me. I was raised in an abusive alcoholic home as an only child. I was left alone most of the time and wasn’t allowed to play with other neighborhood kids, so I felt very lonely. My imagination and my stuffed animals were my best friends, and for the most part, my parents’ friends were my friends. Read More>>

 Stephanie Wijkstrom

I was lucky to be drawn to my path as a mental health care professional, and forged a straight line to practicing in a private practice setting. Pretty quickly thereafter, I merged my business acumen with my passion for providing mental health care solutions, and the rest is a history that continues to evolve. Read More>>

Maria Erixson

I’ve always had a natural passion for decorating and organizing—not just in my own space, but in other people’s homes too. Even as a child, when I visited friends whose homes felt messy or chaotic, I had this instinct to help tidy up and bring some order. I remember how good it felt to see their reactions—to see how a small transformation could genuinely lift their mood. That’s when I realized that creating beautiful, functional spaces isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about helping people feel more at ease, more inspired, and more at home in their everyday lives. That’s the purpose that still drives my work today. Read More>>

Women Moving Mountains

Our purpose was born from the realization that women—especially in our local community—needed more than just a place to belong. They needed a space to be seen, heard, and lifted up through every chapter of life. We found our purpose in filling the voids we saw all around us: the moments where women were silently struggling, quietly growing, or powerfully rising without a hand to hold or a cheer to hear. Read More>>

Jasmine Rennie

In my early 20s, I was starting my career in the fashion industry, traveling all over the world and bouncing from one fashion week party to another. At the time, I used to dress pretty revealingly and would lead with my sexuality, hoping to get attention from the men around me. Deep down, I desired to be loved and to fill a deep void in my heart, but the type of attention I was getting wasn’t favorable, and it left me feeling emptier than before. Read More>>

George Castrejon

I didn’t grow up with much. Section 8 housing was home, and survival was the daily focus. I failed a lot—at school, jobs, relationships—but each failure taught me something that success never could. I didn’t know it then, but every setback was quietly shaping me into the person I needed to become.

Over time, those lessons turned into drive. I realized that I didn’t just want to survive—I wanted to build something. Something real. Something meaningful. Read More>>

 Emily Sanchez

My life purpose came the first day of an Intro to Entrepreneurship elective course at Fresno State. I went into the college straight outta high school thinking I was going to major in Psychology. I still had doubts, so I saw the elective and thought “Why not, it wont hurt its just credits I need.” Cut to day 1 and I was hooked and zoned in. Once the first semester was over I changed my major! I was all in! Read More>>

Sydney Jensen

From a young age I knew that I was called to be a mother and wife first and foremost. I had always had that dream in mind, so when I began college I picked a career based on flexibility and freedom. I finished my bachelors degree in Journalism, feeding my artistic spirit. At that point in life, I had been lucky enough to find my person– JW Jensen. Read More>>

Robin Godfrey

How did you find your purpose?
(This was a major challenge in my life — and here’s how I made it work.)

I’ve always had a fast mind — like a Ferrari engine with bicycle brakes, as they say.
Quick thoughts. Big ideas. No off switch.

I always knew I was different. Just didn’t know why. Read More>>

Lisa Cheney-Philp

There is a time in my earlier life that I call my “Desperately Seeking Dharma” phase. It came about 15 years after my mom’s death from breast cancer when she was 45 and I was 15, not coincidentally when I was crossing my 30 year old threshold which tipped me closer to my mother’s age when she died than my age when she died. I was fairly settled into an academic and professional life that was not centered around this pivotal childhood experience, and it slowly but surely shifted my trajectory toward a different future that brought it front and center. Read More>>

Gabe DeRita

In my late 20’s, I had the life I was taught to want. I had a stable, successful career in tech sales, living the ‘dream life’ in San Francisco in the 2010’s. I had a partner, a community of friends and off-street parking in a condo by the beach. But something was missing at a fundamental level, and I was struggling to be truly happy despite having all the external elements of material and personal success I thought I needed. I came to call that experience ‘spiritual inflammation’, a sense of allergic reaction to my daily life I could no longer afford to ignore. Read More>>

Deborah Epstein

My purpose has been a life long reveal. A process that I have been unconsciously and consciously engaging all of my life. I remember being 10 years old and announcing that I wanted to be an artist and a doctor. Those are two archetypes which my soul found her own way to create. through Art and healing. The healing work I do is not what we know as being a doctor, but it helps folks heal from connecting with their deep inner wisdom. Read More>>

Katherine Lash

Often I hear my colleagues speak of the “dark night of the soul.” I never knew what they were talking about until it happened to me. Sometimes unexpected events occur in life and the resulting trauma overwhelms us. Great masters speak of the “existential crises.” This is when all that we held true, or all that we thought life was going to be, suddenly changes. We have the “rug pulled out from under us.” This can be due to a death, or a divorce, or the loss of someone we love (as well as a multitude of other situations). Read More>>

Deborah Griffiths

One afternoon I found myself waking up and realizing I was in the psyche ward of a hospital having survived an attempt at suicide. My psychiatrist, who I had been seeing for several months prior, came into the room and simply said, “Your environment is making you sick.” I knew what he meant.

I began seeing my psychiatrist about six months prior to the suicide attempt. I realized that I was not happy but couldn’t figure out why. I was married to a man who provided well enough to afford me the opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom, had three beautiful kids, a nice home in a great neighborhood and the list goes on. I just wasn’t happy. Read More>>

Laura Foster

I worked as a fashion designer for most of my career. I’d dreamed of this since I was in the fifth grade, reading Elle and Vogue magazines in the public library in Jamestown, North Dakota. I really thought that when I started working in fashion, all my dreams would come true and I would be satisfied, successful, and deliriously happy. Read More>>

Mykim Tran

I found my life purpose through a learn-as-you-go process. Starting in my early 20s, I trusted myself to make the right decisions, no matter how difficult the situation might be. I do not allow my fear of failure to hold me back from making the right choices to succeed in life. Whenever I discover a new idea, I take immediate action to test it out. If it does not work out, I will try something else. My previous actions have shown me where to make my next decision. Read More>>

Kayci Amour

I grew up in the Church, learning harmonies and just the overall presence in/of the sound of music. I started singing at the age of 3 when I heard Whitney Houston’s voice for the first time. I actually don’t remember what song it was, but it was either I Will Always Love You, or a song from the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack. I was riding in the backseat of a car and when I heard her voice I just remember saying “who is this?”. Then I was locked in. I wanted all things, Whitney Houston. I had a little mermaid tape player and I played The Preacher’s Wife Soundtrack out until the tape didn’t work anymore. Read More>>

Sara Niccum

I didn’t grow up near Disney- I come from far away, Minnesota. But I did grow up glued to the commercials, dreaming of magic far from my home. Disney felt like hope, joy, and something bigger than me. Every time I visited as a kid, I left already wishing I could go back.

After I got married, my mom was diagnosed with cancer. We started planning one last trip together — something special before she passed. But we didn’t make it. She died before we could go, and my dad passed just 22 months later. Read More>>

Joshua Mendoza

I found my purpose after a long journey of trial and error. By the time I turned 21, I had already made what some might call a bold decision—I left high school at 16 to work full-time. At the time, it didn’t feel like a mistake, but as I tried to find steady, well-paying work without a diploma or college degree, reality started to hit hard. From 2001 to 2007, I always held a job, but they were all minimum wage. I felt stuck, unfulfilled, and unsure of how to move forward. Read More>>